Israel urges Russia to block air defense system sale to Syria

By Danielle Wiener-Bronner

May 9, 2013

Israel warns of Syria-Russia air defense deal, Bangladesh back in spotlight for another deadly accident, and Taliban threaten Pakistanâ€™s weekend elections. Today is Thursday, May 9, and this is the World Wrap, brought to you by @dwbronner and @clarerrrr.

A Belarussian S-300 mobile missile launching system drives to take part in a rehearsal for the Independence Day parade in central Minsk, June 27, 2011.

Not in our backyard.As Secretary of State John Kerry made progress in Moscow on a Syria strategy, Israel asked Russia to put a stop to the sale of an advanced air shield system to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad:

Citing U.S. officials, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Israel had told Washington that Syria had already began payments for a $900 million purchase of the S-300 and an initial delivery was due within three months. The S-300 is designed to shoot down planes and missiles at 125-mile (200-km) ranges. It would enhance Syria’s current Russian-supplied defenses, which did not deter Israel from launching devastating air strikes around Damascus last weekend.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel tipped off the U.S. to payments from the Syrian government to Moscow. Russia has stood by the Assad regime throughout the conflict, but Â Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently said Russia was not concerned with the fate of â€ścertain individuals,â€ť suggesting a distancing between Russia and Assad.

Another Bangladesh factory disaster claims lives. Eight people were killed in a clothing factory blaze in BangladeshÂ as officials continue to uncover bodies from last monthâ€™s deadly building collapse:

The fire, in an industrial district of Dhaka, comes amid global attention on safety standards in Bangladesh’s booming garment industry following the catastrophic collapse of Rana Plaza, on the outskirts of the city, in the world’s deadliest industrial accident since the Bhopal disaster in India in 1984.

The fire broke out in the 11-story building after work hours, minimizing the number of casualties. The conditions in Bangladeshâ€™s garment industry are in the spotlight as the death toll from the Rana Plaza complex collapse two weeks ago continues to rise, topping 900 people.

Since April, the al Qaeda-linked Pakistani Taliban have killed more than 100 people in attacks on election candidates and rallies, particularly those of secular-leaning parties, in a bid to undermine elections they regard as un-Islamic. The polls, already Pakistan’s most violent, will mark the first time a civilian government has completed a full term and handed over to another administration.

Pakistan has been ruled by the military for roughly half its history, and the May 11 elections mark the first time the country will transition from one civilian government to another. Candidates include former cricket player and celebrity Imran Khan, who cracked a rib in a fall from a campaign platform this week,Â as well as Pakistanâ€™s first transgender candidates. However, the Pakistan Muslim Leagueâ€™s Nawaz Sharif is expected to become the next prime minister, a position he has held twice before.